RBI master-direction RBI/DOR/2025-26/153 · 28 Nov 2025
Official title
Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Interest Rate on Deposits) Directions, 2025 (Updated as on June 17, 2026)
Summary
Check the official recordThe Reserve Bank of India establishes a framework for commercial banks to manage interest rates on deposits. Banks must maintain a board-approved policy for interest rates and premature withdrawal penalties. Interest rates must remain uniform across branches and customers for similar deposits. The directions prohibit interest on current accounts and mandate specific calculation methods for savings and term deposits. Banks must disclose interest rate schedules in advance and avoid unethical deposit mobilization practices. The guidelines cover domestic rupee deposits, non-resident rupee deposits, and foreign currency deposits. Specific rules apply to deceased depositor accounts, staff interest benefits, and senior citizen schemes. These directions replace previous instructions while preserving actions taken under prior rules. The policy applies to all commercial banks excluding small finance, payment, regional rural, and local area banks.
What you must do
Key dates
Who is affected
Thresholds
Exceptions
If you do not comply
RBI/DOR/2025-26/153 DOR.SOG(SPE).REC.72/13.03.00/2025-26 November 28, 2025 Previous Versions Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Interest Rate on Deposits) Directions, 2025 (Updated as on June 17, 2026)
Table of Contents Chapter I: Preliminary A. Short Title and Commencement B. Objective C. Applicability D. Definitions Chapter II: General Guidelines (Interest Rate Framework) Chapter III: Domestic Rupee Deposits A. Interest Rate on Domestic Current Account B. Interest Rate on Domestic Savings Deposit C. Interest Rate on Domestic Term Deposits D. Payment of Additional Interest on Domestic Deposits E. Interest on Overdue Domestic Deposits F. Floating Rate Domestic Term Deposits G. Periodicity of Payment of Interest on Domestic Savings Deposit H. Interest Payable on the Domestic Deposit Account of Deceased Depositor I. Discretion to pay interest on the minimum credit balance in the composite cash credit account of a farmer J. Penalty on Premature Withdrawal of Domestic Term Deposit Chapter IV: Rupee Deposits of Non-Residents A. Interest Rate on Rupee Deposits - Non-Residents B. Prohibition on Marking Lien C. Penalty on Premature Withdrawal of Non-Resident External (NRE) Deposits D. Interest Payable on the Non-Resident External (NRE) Term Deposit Account of Deceased Depositor Chapter V: Foreign Currency Deposits A. Foreign Currency (Non-Resident) Accounts (Banks) Scheme B. Manner of Calculation of Interest on Foreign Currency (Non-Resident) Accounts (Banks) {FCNR(B)} Deposits C. Calculation of Interest on Renewal of Foreign Currency (Non-Resident) Accounts (Banks) {FCNR(B)} Deposits D. Interest Payable on the Deposit of a Deceased Foreign Currency (Non-Resident) Accounts (Banks) {FCNR(B)} Depositor E. Payment of Interest on Foreign Currency (Non-Resident) Accounts (Banks) {FCNR(B)} Deposits of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) on Return to India F. Conversion of Foreign Currency (Non-Resident) Accounts (Banks) {FCNR(B)} Accounts of Returning Indians into Resident Foreign Currency (RFC) Accounts / Resident Rupee Accounts - Payment of Interest G. Premature Withdrawal of Foreign Currency Deposits H. Penalty on Premature Withdrawal of Foreign Currency Deposits I. Resident Foreign Currency Accounts Scheme Chapter VI: Prohibitions and Exemptions A. Prohibitions B. Exemptions SCHEDULE-I Chapter VII: Repeal and Other Provisions A. Repeal and saving B. Application of other laws not barred C. Interpretations
In exercise of the powers conferred by Sections 21 and 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 and all other provisions / laws enabling the Reserve Bank of India (‘RBI’) in this regard, RBI being satisfied that it is necessary and expedient in the public interest so to do, hereby, issues the Directions hereinafter specified.
For the purpose of these Directions, ‘Commercial Banks’ means all banking companies (other than Small Finance Banks, Payment Banks, Regional Rural Banks and Local Area Banks), corresponding new banks, and the State Bank of India, as defined respectively under clauses (c), (da), and (nc) of Section 5 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
(1) ‘Alternative Reference Rate (ARR)’ means any widely accepted ARR for the respective currency as prescribed in RBI circular on Roadmap for LIBOR Transition issued vide CO.FMRD.DIRD.S39/14.02.001/2021-22 dated July 08, 2021.
(2) ‘Bulk Deposit’ means Single Rupee term deposits of ₹3 crore and above.
(3) ‘Composite Cash Credit’ means a type of loan product having a cash credit limit with a fully savings module designed to take care of farmer’s interest.
(4) ‘Current Account’ means a form of non-interest bearing demand deposit where from withdrawals are allowed any number of times depending upon the balance in the account or up to a particular agreed amount and shall also be deemed to include other deposit accounts which are neither Savings Deposit nor Term Deposit.
(5) ‘Daily Product’ means the interest applied on the end of day balance.
(6) ‘Demand Deposit’ means a deposit received by a bank, which is withdrawable on demand.
(7) ‘Domestic Rupee Deposits’ mean rupee deposits maintained in India in the form of current account, savings deposit or term deposit.
(8) ‘Family’ includes members as mentioned in a bank’s Service / Staff Regulations.
(9) ‘FCNR(B) Account’ means a Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank) account referred to in Foreign Exchange Management (Deposit) Regulations, 2016, as amended from time to time.
(10) ‘Hindu Undivided Family’ (HUF) means HUF as defined under Income-tax Act, 1961.
(11) ‘Individual’ means a natural person.
(12) ‘Member of the bank’s Staff’ means a person employed on a regular basis, whether full-time or part-time, and includes a person recruited on probation or employed on a contract for a specified duration or on deputation and an employee taken over in pursuance of any scheme of amalgamation but does not include a person employed on casual basis.
(13) ‘Notice Deposit’ means term deposit for specific period but withdrawable on giving at least one complete banking day’s notice.
(14) ‘NRE Account’ means a Non-Resident External deposit account referred to in Foreign Exchange Management (Deposit) Regulations, 2016, as amended from time to time.
(15) ‘NRO Account’ means a Non-Resident Ordinary deposit account referred to in Foreign Exchange Management (Deposit) Regulations, 2016, as amended from time to time.
(16) ‘Reinvestment deposits’ refers to those deposits where interest (as and when due) is reinvested at the same contracted rate till maturity which is withdrawable with the principal amount on maturity date.
(17) ‘Retired Member of the bank’s Staff’ means an employee retiring whether on superannuation or otherwise as provided in the bank’s Service / Staff Regulations.
(18) ‘RFC Account’ means a Resident Foreign Currency account referred to in Foreign Exchange Management (Foreign currency accounts by a person resident in India) Regulations, 2016, as amended from time to time.
(19) ‘Savings Deposit’ means a form of interest bearing demand deposit which is a deposit account whether designated as ‘Savings Account’, ‘Savings Bank Account’, ‘Savings Deposit Account’, ‘Basic Savings Bank Deposit Account (BSBDA)’ or other account by whatever name called which is subject to the restrictions as to the number of withdrawals as also the amounts of withdrawals permitted by a bank during any specified period.
(20) ‘Term Deposit’ means an interest-bearing deposit received by a bank for a fixed period and shall also include deposits such as Recurring / Cumulative / Annuity / Reinvestment deposits and Cash Certificates.
(21) All other expressions, unless defined herein, shall have the same meaning as have been assigned to them under the Banking Regulation Act,1949 or the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 or any statutory modification or re-enactment thereto or as used in commercial parlance, as the case may be.
(1) There shall be a comprehensive policy duly approved by the Board of Directors or any Committee of the Board to which powers have been delegated in respect of:
